Gap filler for reciprocating floor slat conveyor

ABSTRACT

For use in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor system having formed slats made of steel, a gap filler for sealing the gaps between side-by-side steel slats includes a portion that extends upwardly into the gap, and a lower portion that is connected to one of the side-by-side slats. The gap filler is installed by pushing down the gap filler into the gap between slats.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This design relates to reciprocating floor slat conveyors.

BACKGROUND

Reciprocating floor slat conveyors are well-known. They consist of a series of side-by-side floor slats that are all moved in one direction at the same time. This moves or conveys a load that rests on the floor slats. Then, a lesser number of floor slats is moved in the opposite direction, sliding underneath the load. This is commonly done in sets of three, or in other words, one third of the slats are moved in the opposite direction, in sequence, until all are returned to their initial position. Moving a lesser number of slats during the return sufficiently reduces friction between the slats and the load above, such that the load holds its position during the return. Then, the slats are moved again, all at the same time, to further carry the load, and so forth, with the sequence just described being repeated until the load is moved off the reciprocating floor slat conveyor. Systems of this kind are often installed in trailers for hauling and unloading bulk materials, although there are also many other kinds of applications, including stationary applications.

The reciprocating floor slats are commonly made from extruded aluminum. However, there is a need and market for steel floor slats. Steel is a better material for floor slats compared to aluminum and would be better for use in the solid waste industry. Regardless of the material that is used to manufacture the slats (i.e., aluminum vs. steel), the space between individual slats (that are side-by-side each other in the installed conveyor) needs to be sealed. In the solid waste industry, for example, where aluminum slats have been used, the seals between slats can be the first thing to fail. The type of seal used for an aluminum slat does not translate for use in a steel slat for reasons relating to differences between aluminum and steel.

The design disclosed here was created to fill the elongated space or “gap” between steel floor slats. The design solves a problem in that it enables the sealing of the elongated gap that is created between individual, roll-formed steel slats. Roll-forming is a different process relative to making extrusions.

Floor slats that are extruded from aluminum can be made with nonuniform wall thicknesses that include elongated seal-holding grooves or recesses. These grooves or recesses can hold a gap-filling seal in place between aluminum slats that are arranged side-by-side across the width of the reciprocating floor conveyor.

Referring to FIG. 22, as an example, which is labeled and acknowledged to be “prior art,” a conventional aluminum slat (shown in cross-sectional profile) is indicated at 1. The slat 1 rests upon a bearing member 2. The bearing member 2 is supported by a square subdeck member 3. The gap-filling seal is indicated at 4. As can be seen in this Figure, the seal 4 has an enlarged portion 5 that is captured by a recess 6 in the aluminum slat 1. A split portion 7 of the seal fills the gap (indicated generally by arrow 8), which prevents material from working through the gaps between individual slats as they move back-and-forth during operation of the conveyor (bear in mind that all of these components are elongated and extend lengthwise into the page).

Aluminum can be extruded to the slat form illustrated in FIG. 22 with the seal-capturing recess 6. This is not workable for steel floor stats that are roll-formed from harder and thicker steel alloys, because roll-forming has practical limitations that make it difficult to mimic what can be done (in terms of cross-sectional profile) in comparison to extruding aluminum.

A steel floor slat (that is roll-formed) is therefore likely to have a less complicated cross-sectional profile, relative to an extruded aluminum floor slat, with the steel slat's top and side surfaces having the same thickness throughout, resulting from a single steel strip being put through a roll-forming process that bends the steel into top and side sections. This creates a design problem for sealing the gaps between steel slats because, as indicated above, unlike extruded aluminum, it is not workable to roll-form steel with the kind of seal-holding pockets or recesses (i.e., reference number 6 in FIG. 22) that have been used in the past to seal gaps between aluminum floor slats in reciprocating conveyors.

The design disclosed here makes roll-formed steel slats practical in typical markets where reciprocating floor slat conveyors are used and offers the advantage of using more-durable steel instead of aluminum, particularly when reciprocating floor slat conveyors are built into trailers (or the like) that are used to haul and unload abrasive materials. The design enables a simple steel slat profile to work in reciprocating floor slat conveyors.

SUMMARY

For use with a reciprocating floor slat conveyor that has reciprocating floor slats that are formed from steel, a gap filler that fills the space between side-by-side slats.

The slats in the conveyor will have a lengthwise gap between adjacent side-by-side steel slats that enables the slats to move together, or in reciprocating fashion, according to conventional operation of the conveyor. The gap filler includes an upper portion that extends upwardly into the lengthwise gap. A lower portion of the gap filler, connected to the upper portion as a single integrated piece, is wrapped around a lower side edge of one of the side-by-side steel slats.

The lower portion of the gap filler is made to pinch the lower side edge or sidewall of the steel slat, in the manner described below. This enables the gap filler to be pre-installed on the roll-formed steel slat. During the assembly sequence that involves installing roll-formed steel slats side-by-side across a conveyor, the gap-filler's upper portion is initially elevated vertically relative to its final installation position, which enables the combination of steel slat and gap filler seal to be installed during the assembly of the reciprocating floor conveyor.

Final installation involves pushing down the gap-filler's upper portion (or, in other words, pushing the gap-filler further downward into the gap between side-by-side floor slats). When this happens, the upper portion of the gap filler (in the gap between slats) shifts to close and seal the gap. At the same time, the lower portion of the gap filler is shaped to shift into place around the lower side edge or sidewall of the steel slat, thereby holding the gap filler in position between the floor slats as they subsequently move together, or move relative to each other, according to the operation of the reciprocating floor conveyor. As is described further below, this shifting movement (caused by pushing the gap filler downward) involves the lower portion of the gap filler having an angled surface that rotates to match a surface on the inside of the sidewall of the slat when the gap filler is pushed down. This serves to hold the gap filler in position so that it seals the floor slats properly during conveyor operation.

Like the floor slats, the gap filler is likely to be elongated, although length of the gap filler is a variable. Near the end of the floor slat, however, the lower portion of the gap filler will be independently fastened to the floor slat, where hauled material drops off the conveyor system during the unloading process.

The gap filler design disclosed here makes reciprocating steel floor slats viable for other hauling markets. For example, the combination of steel slat, gap filler, and steel subdeck may enable the hauling of heavier, high-impact materials. Supporting bearings, i.e., the components that rest on the subdeck and provide a sliding surface for the steel slats above, can be extruded as single-piece bearings (in lieu of two separate bearings) that are possibly installed on the subdeck at the same time as individual steel floor slats. This may provide certain advantages for the installer.

The above summary will be better understood upon review of the following description which is to be read in conjunction with the illustrated details of the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are described as follows, wherein like parts indicate like parts throughout, except where the text indicates otherwise:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a series of side-by-side reciprocating floor slats;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one floor slat of the overall floor slat configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a subdeck component of the floor slat configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of floor bearing components of the floor slat configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a “gap filler” component of the floor slat configuration shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 5, but without dimensions;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section view of two side-by-side reciprocating floor slats made from roll-formed steel, but with a different embodiment of floor bearing;

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but illustrates another floor bearing embodiment;

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 7 but shows a roll-formed steel subdeck;

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 8 but shows a roll-formed subdeck;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a single, roll-formed steel slat, and illustrates how the gap filler is attached to the slat;

FIG. 12 is a cross-section view that shows the initial position of the gap filler during the floor slat installation process;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 12 and shows the final position of the gap filler during the floor slat installation process;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view that is similar to FIG. 12, but shows an aluminum subdeck for supporting all-steel floor slats;

FIG. 15 is the same view as FIG. 14, but shows the final position of the gap filler, similar to FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 14, but illustrates how the gap filler seals a moving floor slat to a fixed slat on the side of the conveyor;

FIG. 17 is the same view as FIG. 16, but shows the gap filler in its final position after installation;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged pictorial view of the end of a roll-formed steel slat, with gap filler and end cap components exploded from the steel slat;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the final installation of the components illustrated in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of a floor bearing resting on an aluminum subdeck component;

FIG. 21 is similar to FIGS. 12 and 20 in that this Figure is a cross-sectional view showing a slat/gap filler combination being pushed down onto an aluminum subdeck member during a floor slat installation sequence; and

FIG. 22 is labeled “prior art” and is a cross-sectional view that shows how the gaps between side-by-side slats made of extruded aluminum have been sealed in the past.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring first to FIG. 1, each floor slat is generally identified by reference numeral 10. It is envisioned that the floor slat 10 will be made of formed steel having the shape illustrated in the drawings.

Referring now to FIG. 2, each floor slat rests upon a pair of bearings 12, 14, which further rest upon a subdeck component, indicated generally at 16. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the floor slats are installed so that a small or narrow gap (at the position indicated by reference numeral 18) will exist lengthwise between the sides 20, 22 of the slats. This gap is filled by the component (“the gap filler”) indicated generally at 24 in FIGS. 5 and 6.

The narrow gap 18 between the floor slats is filled by an upper portion 26 of the gap filler 24. The lower portion of the gap filler 24, indicated generally by reference numeral 28 in FIGS. 5 and 6, is wrapped around a lower side edge 30 of the steel floor slat (see, e.g., FIG. 2).

Exemplary dimensions of the gap filler 24 are provided in FIG. 5. While these dimensions may vary, it is envisioned that they will be sized so that the lower portion 28 of the gap filler can snap-fit onto the lower side edge 30 of the steel floor slat. This would allow the gap filler to be preinstalled at the place of floor slat manufacture and then shipped, installed, to the end user.

When the floor slats 10 are installed in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper portion 26 of the gap filler 24 vertically fills gap 18 and is captured in place. It is envisioned that the gap filler 24 can be made from different materials ranging from metal (aluminum, for example) or high-density plastic. This is an ongoing matter of development and test. High temperature UHMW plastic may be used for some hauling applications like asphalt, for example.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, the subdeck component 16 previously described is illustrated as an aluminum extrusion. As an alternative, the subdeck component 16 could be made from rolled steel, which is illustrated at 32 in FIGS. 9 and 10.

In all the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7-10, the pair of bearings 12, 14 (previously illustrated in FIG. 2) is replaced by a single bearing illustrated at 34. The single bearing 34 is shown as having two versions 34A, 34B. According to the embodiments illustrated here, one version (34A) is designed to have longitudinal grooves 36, while the other (34B) lacks these specific grooves. Both versions (34A, 34B) of the single bearing 34 have a central channel 38. In the embodiment that illustrates the roll formed steel subdeck 32, the central channel 38 of the bearing 34 rests on top of an upwardly projecting portion 40 of the subdeck (see FIGS. 9 and 10). The bearing 34 is made of high density plastic or similar materials already known to be used in connection with making reciprocating floor conveyors.

The dimensions of the gap filler 24 provided in FIG. 5 are applicable to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 7-19. Referring now to FIGS. 11-13, installation of the gap filler 24 will be described in greater detail.

Referring first to FIG. 11, the roll-formed steel floor slat 10 is shown according to the configuration it would take following the roll-forming process, which would be known in the art. While the steel thickness might vary, a steel thickness of 3 millimeters may be typical. The steel slat has a top portion 42, opposite downwardly depending, vertical side portions 44, 46, and inwardly bending lower side portions 48, 50.

The inwardly bending lower side portions 48, 50 define slants toward the center line of the slat 10. The opposite edges 49, 51 of these side portions are spaced a certain distance apart and create an open width on the bottom of the slat 10. This width opens into the hollow space created by the slat's various walls 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, just described.

The vertical side portions 44, 46 of the steel floor slat 10 define the “gap” between the various steel slats 10 when installed as part of the reciprocating floor conveyor system. As is further described below, the inwardly bending side portions 48, 50 provide surfaces for connecting the lower portion 28 of the gap filler 24 to the steel slat 10.

The left-hand side of FIG. 11 shows the gap filler 24 about to be connected to the slat 10. The right-hand side of FIG. 11 shows the gap filler 24 attached to the slat 10. There, the lower portion 28 of the gap filler 24 is wrapped around the slat's inwardly bending portion 50, with the slat's vertical side portion 46 being captured by the flex in the gap filler 24, which pinches slat side portion 46 generally at the points indicated by arrows 52, 54, respectively. The gap filler dimensions illustrated in FIG. 5 are sized to pinch a 3 millimeter steel slat, although these dimensions could be changed for different installation configurations.

Continuing with FIG. 11, the right-hand side of the Figure shows how the slat/gap filler combination might be provided to an installer prior to installation of the slat/gap filler in a reciprocating floor conveyor system. It should be noted from the Figure that the vertical elevation of the gap filler's upper portion 26 at the top point (see reference numeral 56) is close to the plane of the slat's load-bearing surface (reference numeral 58). There is also a space, indicated generally by arrow 60 in FIGS. 11 and 12, that is present between steel slat edge surface 62 and gap filler surface 64.

FIG. 12 illustrates the same gap filler configuration described above, but with the steel slat 10 resting on the bearing 34 and steel subdeck 32, side-by-side with the same slat/bearing/subdeck combination to the immediate right. This is illustrative of the position of the gap filler 24 during floor slat installation. It should be noted that, at this point, a narrow gap (indicated by arrow 61) still exists between the outside surface 63 of the gap filler 24 and the outside surface 65 of the slat's sidewall 44. Then, the installer pushes down (see arrow 66 in FIG. 12) on the top 56 of the gap filler 24 to shift (some could call it a type of snap fit) the gap filler to the position shown in FIG. 13. There, the vertical elevation of the gap filler's upper portion 26 at the top point 56 is pushed down below the plane of the slat's load-bearing surface 58 and shifts slightly laterally to contact the side of the adjacent slat (see reference numeral 67 in FIG. 13), thereby closing the narrow gap 61 described above; the previously described “pinch” between points 52 and 54 on the slat's side 46 moves down to the approximate location of the bend between the slat's side 46 and inwardly bending portion 50; and gap filler surface 64 rotates and shifts slightly so that surface 64 rests directly against slat surface 62 in lieu of the previously described space 60. This also creates a new space at the location indicated by arrow 68.

The angle of gap filler surface 64 (which could be called a positioning angle) and other gap filler dimensions are selected so that surface 64 matches the angle of slat edge surface 62 after the shift (caused by the installer pushing the gap filler's upper portion 26 downwardly). Matching the angles of these surfaces keeps the upper portion 26 of the gap filler sealing the gap properly (between adjacent slats). As indicated above, gap filler specifications are described in detail directly on FIG. 5. As indicated in the Figure, the positioning angle on the gap filler 24 illustrated there is 37 degrees on a non-attached gap filler. These dimensions could vary if other variations are made to other components.

FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate the above gap filler installation for the aluminum subdeck configuration (FIG. 14 is a counterpart of FIG. 12 while FIG. 15 is a counterpart of FIG. 13), while FIGS. 16 and 17 illustrate the same installation but with fixed side slats 70, 72 that would be (typically) next to the bottom wall of a trailer, one on each side. The trailer is not illustrated, but a person skilled in the art would recognize that these Figures are representative of a larger number of slats that span the distance, from side-to-side, within the trailer's walls, which is typical for reciprocating floor slat systems. The number of slats is usually defined by installation application.

FIG. 18 illustrates an end cap installation for steel slat 10. It is well understood how bulk materials exit a reciprocating floor slat conveyor. In the present configuration, an end cap 74 has a portion 76 that is inserted into the end 78 of the slat 10 (there would be no bearing structure at that location). The end cap 74 is held in place by fasteners 80, 82. A series of over-sized openings (indicated generally at 84) in the lower portion 28 of the gap filler 24 at this end location enables rivet fasteners 86, 88 to secure the gap filler 24 to the slat 10 at the end location only. FIG. 19 shows the final end cap installation in cross-section.

Finally, referring to FIG. 20, the single-piece bearing 34 described above is made to snap fit around subdeck lateral edges 90, 92. The bearing 34 can flex at locations 94, 96 so that bearing portions 98, 100 are captured in place by subdeck lateral edges 90,92. This is the same for the steel subdeck configuration 32 previously described (see FIGS. 9 and 10). The single-piece bearing 34 is otherwise captured within the perimeter or envelope defined by the top and side walls 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 of the steel slat 10.

The side-to-side width of the bearing 34 is less than the width between the opposite edges 49, 51 of the slat lower side portions 48, 50 that were previously described above (see FIG. 11, for example). Generally speaking, the side-to-side width of the bearing 34 is the distance between arrows 102 and 104 in FIG. 20. The idea is to create a bearing width within the envelope of the hollow slat 10 that is too wide for the bearing to be easily removed through the lower side of the slat. What this means is that the plurality of bearings 34 that will be used for a typical conveyor installation may be inserted end-wise into the hollow slat 10. In such case, and referring to FIG. 21, the combination of slat 10 and bearing 34 may then be installed onto the underlying subdeck structure (whether it be aluminum or steel) at the same time by snap-fitting the bearing onto the subdeck (while it is inside the slat 10) and then later securing individual slats 10 to conveyor drive structure (not shown in the drawings). The conveyor drive structure for reciprocating floor slat conveyors is well known in the art.

It is to be understood that the design is under development and test and may change as the design is further developed. As an example, while the gap filler seal described above is intended to make steel slats a commercially viable design in the marketplace, it may later prove to work for aluminum slat configurations. For this reason, the foregoing is not intended to limit patent protection. To the extent patent protection is limited, all limits on patent protection are defined by the patent claim or claims that follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for installing roll-formed steel slats in a reciprocating floor slat conveyor, the process comprising: providing a plurality of reciprocating floor slats that are roll-formed from steel, wherein each one of said roll-formed steel slats has a uniform wall thickness, said slat having a top portion, a pair of substantially vertical sidewall portions that depend downwardly from opposite sides of said top portion, and a pair of inwardly slanting portions that respectively depend downwardly and inwardly from said vertical sidewall portions, and with said inwardly slanting portions having end edges that are spaced apart; installing said slats with a lengthwise gap between adjacent side-by-side slats; using a gap filler member to seal said lengthwise gap between side-by-side slats, said gap filler member having an upper portion that extends generally vertically upwardly into said lengthwise gap, and said gap filler member further having a lower portion that is wrapped around an inwardly slanting portion of said slat, with said wall thickness of said slat being pinched between an end of the lower portion and the upper portion of said gap filler member, and wherein said upper portion of said gap filler member is pushed down in said gap between slats in a manner so as to cause said upper portion of said gap filler member to seal said gap and said lower portion of said gap filler member to hold said upper portion in place within said gap.
 2. For use with a reciprocating floor slat conveyor, a combination comprising: a plurality of reciprocating floor slats that are roll-formed from steel, wherein each one of said roll-formed steel slats has a uniform wall thickness, said slat having a top portion, a pair of substantially vertical sidewall portions that depend downwardly from opposite sides of said top portion, and a pair of inwardly slanting portions that respectively depend downwardly and inwardly from said vertical sidewall portions, and with said inwardly slanting portions having end edges that are spaced apart, and further, said slats being installed with a lengthwise gap between adjacent side-by-side slats; a gap filler member for filling said lengthwise gap between side-by-side slats, said gap filler member having an upper portion that extends generally vertically upwardly into said lengthwise gap, and said gap filler member further having a lower portion that is wrapped around an inwardly slanting portion of said slat, with said wall thickness of said slat being pinched between an end of the lower portion and the upper portion of said gap filler member; a slat bearing received within a space defined by said top portion, said vertical side wall portions, and said inwardly slating portions of said steel slat, with said slat bearing having a flat top surface upon which the steel slat rides, and further, said slat bearing having a side-to-side width that is less that the width of said spaced apart end edges of said inwardly slanting portions of said slat; and a steel subdeck member that supports said slat bearing. 